Curiosity That Leads to Connection Before Correction (Guest Blog by Jeff Zaugg)

As a dad to four daughters (yes, you read that right!), here’s something I’ve come to learn about being an intentional GirlDad. I now ask myself---as well as other dads---this question: What if some of the sweetest discoveries in fatherhood come when we let go of closed mindsets and embrace wonder instead?

My oldest daughter loves to read. I mean, she devours books. But when she's reading, she tunes out everything else around her. I have to ask her questions over and over to get her attention, often walking all the way over and gently touching her shoulder to snap her out of it. And even when I do get her attention, she pushes back, wanting to finish the chapter before doing what I'm asking.

For months, I got frustrated every time I tried to get her attention. She never seemed to hear me. She always pushed back when I interrupted her reading. I was locked into seeing this as pushback and disrespect.

But recently, I sat down with her for a different kind of conversation. Instead of correcting her behavior, I got curious about her experience.

We talked about situational awareness—how she could develop the skill of focusing on her reading while still being aware of what's happening around her. For safety. For being a thoughtful sister. Even for future babysitting jobs where noticing things matters.

That conversation sparked a new approach. Instead of me versus her, it became us creating a plan together. We even tested it with gamification. Her sisters and I create moments in the room to see if she notices.

How many times do we approach fatherhood with assumptions based on surface behaviors?

Here’s what I’ve come to understand: Fixed mindsets build barriers, blocking us from the wonder of who our children really are. We get stuck seeing our kids through the lens of frustration rather than fascination.

You might be just one curious conversation away from discovering something incredible about your child that assumptions have kept hidden. I fully believe that God wants to give each of us a sense of wonder. But it's going to require courage to turn up the dial of curiosity and look at our families differently.

Romans 12:2 calls us to "be transformed by the renewing of your mind." In fatherhood, this transformation starts with curiosity. The willingness to question our assumptions and approach our children with wonder instead of certainty.

Seth Dahl gets this. When I interviewed him on the DadAwesome Podcast, he challenged us as dads to stay curious about our children rather than defaulting to control. 

Part of our job as dads is making sure we're not putting ourselves in God's spot with our kids. Sometimes the Holy Spirit wants to be the one who comforts or convicts them, and if we rush in with all the answers, we might actually get in the way.

I assure you that as a work in progress, I’m seeking to understand the hearts of my daughters before I address their behavior.

Here’s what this looks like in action:

• Instead of seeing arguing as just backtalk, look for honesty, strong feelings, and verbal skills.

• Instead of seeing bossiness as a problem, recognize leadership and assertiveness.

• Instead of seeing stubbornness as defiance, identify determination and intensity of focus.

Yes, each behavior still needs to be addressed and redirected, but when we start by seeing the gift underneath, it helps us maintain connection.

Connected Families suggests a simple format: "I see that you have a powerful gift for __________. How you're using that now is not as helpful as I've seen you use it before. Maybe you could use that gift to help us solve the problem we're dealing with."

This doesn't mean we excuse behaviors or avoid correction when needed. It's about curiosity that leads to connection before correction. When we understand the heart behind the behavior, we can address both the underlying need and the surface action. We're not lowering standards but raising understanding.

For our daughters (and sons), they feel seen, understood, and valued for who they are rather than criticized for who they're not. This security becomes the foundation for healthy risk-taking and growth. 

For ourselves, we rediscover the joy of learning and growth. Parenting becomes less about managing behaviors and more about nurturing souls.

For our relationship, connection deepens as curiosity builds bridges between different perspectives and personalities.

If you’re ready to choose connection over correction while awakening the ripple effect of wonder in yourself and your daughter:

1. Pause Your Assumptions - When you catch yourself making assumptions about your child, stop. Pause and pray for wisdom, then ask yourself: "What if I'm wrong about this?" The pause creates space for curiosity to enter.

2. Lean Into Curiosity - Instead of immediately correcting or controlling, get curious. Ask the Holy Spirit what's really going on. What might your child be experiencing? What story are they telling themselves? What need might they be expressing?

3. Experiment With Fresh Perspective – Try something new. Pick one behavior that typically triggers you and commit to responding differently for just one week. Try questions instead of commands, patience instead of frustration.

This simple process transforms moments of potential frustration into opportunities for discovery.

When we pause our assumptions, lean into curiosity, and experiment with fresh perspective, we often find that our "difficult" daughter is simply showing us parts of themselves we hadn't noticed before.

By choosing curiosity over assumption, it shifts us from pride to humility, from thinking we have our kids figured out to recognizing God gave us these children to humble us and teach us.

 
Jeff Zaugg founded DadAwesome after one question grabbed his heart: "How do you stay intentional as a dad?" That question sparked 400+ podcast conversations and a mission to help fathers move from autopilot to prayerfully intentional. Over 550 nights in an RV, countless campfire conversations, ten fatherhood coaching cohorts, and thirty activation events across the country, Jeff is building a community of dads who live from the love of their Heavenly Father and pour that love into their families. Jeff and Michelle are raising four daughters near the beach in Florida. Together they love catching waves, building forts, riding bikes, and training for obstacle course races.

His first book was just launched last week titled, “DADAWESOME: Dad Discoveries to Activate Awesomeness” and is available here: 

Your Valentine's MONTH Challenge, Dads!

You may think you misread my blog title because I used the word month instead of day. But I assure you that you’re seeing things correctly! Let me tell you why.

For many men, Valentine’s Day is that one day each year when they know that if they forget the card, candy, flowers, or the fancy dinner, they’ll be in the doghouse. So the motivation sometimes is more about not getting in trouble than it is on reaching the heart of the one you love.

Here’s the inside scoop to better understand the women in your life: The underlying desire for most women is that we just want to know that we’re valued and treasured more than one day here or there. And especially when it feels a bit forced on Valentines’ Day, we appreciate the “over-and-above” reminders that we’re really loved beyond that 24-hour time span.

So if you, as a dad to your daughter, want to be intentional with heart investments in her throughout February, it’s time to capitalize on this opportunity of communicating love to show her your love for an entire month, not just a day.

Here’s a not-very-hidden Venusian secret: We women love love. We love stories about love. We love being in loved. We love being the one loved.

And though some women are less outwardly demonstrative when it comes to emotional expressions of their longings, inside the heart of every girl and woman is a God-given desire to be pursued and cherished, adored and known.

Since you were the first one to hold her heart, your love deposits carry a lot of relational weight. If you as a dad miss the opportunity to pursue your daughter’s heart, she’ll be more apt to go looking for love elsewhere because this is a legitimate need, not just a want.

Let me back up my statement with an illustration. 

Did you know, according to Hallmark and industry sources, approximately 150 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually in the United States, making it the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas?! And if you add in kids’ classroom Valentines, there could be as many as 1 billion cards sold each year. 

Adding to Hallmark’s awareness of a woman’s desire for romance and love, especially this time of year, they continue to expand their movie empire every single year.

Since stats are a powerful way to underscore a point, here are some confirming facts regarding their nationwide domination in the area of romantic cinematic expression:

• In 2010 there were 6 original Hallmark holiday movies

• In 2014, there were 12 

• In 2015, the network added 21 new movies to their lineup

• In 2017, they produced 33 more

• In June of 2018, they announced they were debuting 90 additional new movies that would span all year long!

• In 2020 they premiered 40 new original holiday movies

• In 2023, 40 more 

• And in 2025, 24 MORE were added to their vast repertoire! 

What this says to me is simply this: If a woman isn’t experiencing true love in her life (which may or may not include heartfelt romance, but definitely includes agape love, which is selfless love from another----which includes you as her father), she will be drawn to watching someone else live out her romantic story.

And even though every single Hallmark storyline is predictable, cheesy, unrealistic, anticipated, scripted, and improbable, we women have an internal draw to the fantasy, which can become a substitute for reality, particularly when it’s non-existent.

So Dad, here’s where you get to shine. 

Become the Prince Charming in your daughter’s romantic story. Whether she has a special someone or not, you can let her know every single day during this entire month of February that she is your treasure.

Start today and make a commitment to communicate love to her daily for the next 23 days of this month. And rest assured that some days will be more significant in terms of your time, money, and energy, yet by mixing it up it will add strength to the impact of your loving expressions.

Here are some practical ideas to get you started:

• Text her an affirming message (to highlight something you’ve not typically highlighted before, such as a character quality that you admire in this season of her life)

• Write a note and send it via snail mail so she sees your loving words in your own handwriting (and if she’s like me, she’ll save it forever)

• Call her to tell her why you thought of her today (leaving a voicemail message is a great idea so she can replay it again and again)

• FaceTime her and ask questions about her day, her feelings, her fears, and her dreams (make it your goal to get her to talk while you listen)

• Send her flowers (and make sure to send a card that tells her why she’s amazing in your eyes)

• Buy her a gift or two (tangible expressions of your love---where you put your money where your mouth is---will remind her that she’s your treasure for days and months to come)

• Stop by her workplace or school and leave a treat with a note (which I guarantee will be shown to all of her friends and they’ll wish you were their dad!)

• Take her out to breakfast, lunch or dinner (let her choose the place…and then between the time you set up the date and the time you spend together, it will bring joy to her heart as she looks forward to time with you)

So there you have it, Dad: your February challenge.

I can hardly wait to hear how you, as dialed-in dads, give Hallmark a run for their money this year by showing who the real hero is in your daughter’s story.

Write me at drmichellewatson@gmail.com and tell me how it goes so I can celebrate with you!



[P.S....Speaking of Hallmark, I was recently invited to write one God story in a friend’s devotional titled "Written in Heaven: His Story, Our Lives," where 40 women each shared a powerful God story in their own life. I talked about my singleness and getting married at the age of 60, and I titled my story, “Better Than Hallmark.”

This book would be a great gift for your daughter, wife, girlfriend or female friends because 40 women will be encouraging them in them in their own faith journey. I highly recommend it!]

How to Tell Your Daughter More of Your Story

Happy 2026 to you, Dad!

If you’ve been reading my blogs or listening to The Dad Whisperer Podcast for any length of time, you know how I encourage you to tell your stories to your daughter. And not just the positive and good ones---but also the messy ones (especially when there’s a redemptive ending).

I believe this is so vitally important to your relationship with her that I ended my book, Let’s Talk: Conversation Starters for Dads and Daughters with an entire section called, “Lead Her to Listen.” This is where you as dads hand your daughter the book so she can ask you questions about your life.

Here’s how I introduce this section in my book, explaining why this matters:

“Remember that we daughters don’t expect you dads to be perfect or to have never made stupid decisions or chosen an unwise path. When we see you as authentic and human while admitting that you’ve made mistakes along the way, it makes you more real and approachable, and we respect you all the more for having forged through hard stuff despite challenges.

We’re inspired when hearing about obstacles you’ve overcome to get where you are today, which gives us more freedom to tell you what’s going on in our lives.

Additionally, Dad, when you tell your daughter stories from your own life, it serves as a reminder of what you’ve learned the hard way, thus giving you more grace for her at the age and stage she’s in now.

And whether or not your daughter realizes that she’s going to grow through this process of asking you questions and hearing your responses, the reality is that this is a vital skill set for her going forward as she learns to inquire and investigate with care and genuine interest in another person.”

Dad, here are three options to move forward this year if this idea of story-telling resonates with you:

1. A great place to start is to get a copy of Let’s Talk and let your daughter follow the directions in the last chapter to ask you specific questions about your life.

2. If you’re ready to action now, here’s a quick 3-fold template to begin telling your story to your daughter:

• Tell her what happened

• Tell her what you learned (even the hard way…and be sure to include the redemptive ending!)

• Invite questions

3. If you’re ready to take a bigger step forward in telling your stories, here’s more ideas to support that goal:

• Tell about your life chronologically: One year at a time.

  • Share one thing from each age of your life. And if your daughter has questions, answer them in age appropriate ways based on her ability to track with you.

• Tell about your life seasonally: One season at a time.

  • My dad would often tell me stories that fit with the time of year that we were in - be it a specific holiday or even a weather-related story. You can even tell her about food traditions at specific times of the year.

• Tell about your life thematically: One topic at a time.

  • Open the vault and tell her about your family of origin and what it was like to be in your family---and go into more detail about your education...jobs…sports…friends…girlfriends…dating…adventures…risks…etc.

• Tell about your life spiritually: One theme at a time.

  • Reveal significant times in your life with God...or questions you’ve had…or lessons you’ve learned…mentors you’ve had…or parts of the Bible that are particularly meaningful to you.

• Tell about your life relationally: One person at a time.

  • As you tell about people who have influenced you, not only will you be honoring those individuals while inviting your daughter to learn from them as well, but you’ll be positively impacted by re-telling about the influence and impact of mentors, coaches, pastors, teachers, relatives, etc.

You’ve heard me say this before and I’ll stay it again: You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be present. And though you’ve made mistakes in your life, telling your stories can model to your daughter what resilience looks like in real time and she’ll internalize your strength.

Telling your stories is a powerful way to be present in your daughter’s life.

Dad, make it a goal this year to share more of your story with your daughter. She’ll be grateful for it…and I believe you will be too!

5 Ways to Prepare Yourself for Reconciliation with Your Estranged Daughter

With the holidays officially upon us, I know there are many of you dads who are struggling to claim this as “the happiest time of the year.” The reason? Distance from your daughter (and/or son).

The reality is that I receive more emails from dads around the country asking about what to do to connect with their estranged daughters than I do anything else…by a long shot. And I want to see that sad reality change through empowering dads to do whatever it takes to make amends and pursue healing at any cost to themselves.

Now I realize that there’s always more to a story than merely what I hear, but my encouragement to these men—and to you ---continues to include validation, coupled with suggestions for action.

But first, a story to encourage you.

---

My friend and former NFL quarterback, Ed Tandy McGlasson, founded an incredible organization called Blessing of the Father Ministries. Ed is one of the most passionate people I know when it comes to understanding the power of a father’s blessing, which leads  him to enthusiastically speak words of life into men and women everywhere by affirming how much they are loved by God as their Father.

One of the most powerful stories he tells is of a dad who hadn’t seen his daughter in over twenty years, since she was thirteen years old, and every time he reached out to her, there was no response. Desperate for direction, he met with Ed, who suggested that he waste no time in writing these exact words to his estranged daughter:

Help me understand how much I hurt you when I divorced your mom.

That’s all it took for his daughter to quickly respond. He didn’t defend or explain. He listened. And their relationship was restored.

---

Perhaps these are the words you need to say to your daughter in this season: “Help me understand how much I hurt you when I . . .”

On the other hand, Dad, sometimes your first move will require what could look like apparent inaction. Stated otherwise, by not moving, you’re moving. Let me explain. If your daughter isn’t ready to talk to you right now, you must honor her boundaries and wait until she gives you the green light.

Outwardly, this may look like you’re doing nothing, but in reality this allows you to prepare yourself for when she’s ready to communicate with you.

That said, I want to share some ideas that you can put into practice to prepare YOURSELF for the day your daughter will hopefully be ready to re-engage with you.

And if your daughter is open to having a conversation with you--whether in person or via email/text or over the phone--feel free to use the information below to guide you. (For more specifics, you can refer to my book, Let’s Talk: Conversation Starters for Dads and Daughters).

Here are some keys to preparing your heart for reconciliation with your estranged daughter:

1. Pray for restoration.
   I understand that at times our prayers may feel like they’re hitting the ceiling. But it’s important to remember that your prayers are being heard by your Heavenly Father who says if we call on him he will answer us and tell us great and unsearchable things that we don’t know (Jeremiah 33:3). Ask Him to move in ways that only a true Father can. Write out prayer requests and date them so you can see how God answers as you stay the course with believing prayer.

2.  Own your part…with humility.
   Sometimes it can be hard to see the log in our own eye while instead focusing on the splinter in someone else’s (Matthew 7:5). And when there has been hurt between a dad and daughter, such that the bridge between them is weakened or bombed out completely, as her father, it’s vital that you search your own heart before God and be willing to admit your fault. As you assess yourself honestly (even asking others for input), it will set the foundation of humility and openness for the time when your relationship is restored.

3. Don’t take her rejection personally.
   If the distance between you and your daughter has little or nothing to do with you (a.k.a. a divorce or tragedy beyond your control that led to the estrangement), then seek to stand strong in the truth that she needs space to work this out in her way and in her time. There’s nothing you can do to rush that process along. Patience is key.

4. Look with open and eager anticipation.
   One of my favorite Bible stories is in Luke 15, a parable Jesus tells about his Father. He shares five ways that the earthly dad in this story re-engages with his estranged son, thus providing a road map for dads who are in a similar situation. This father saw his child (which means he was consistently looking for him), was filled with compassion, ran toward him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. That is the necessary stance for a dad with an estranged daughter, as modeled by the ultimate Dad, our Heavenly Father.

5. Buy a journal and write to her in it. (This one is my favorite!)
   Because you will date each entry, it will serve as a time capsule where you’ll be recording your thoughts and memories about her, dreams for her future, words of encouragement, prayers for her, positive and loving affirmations, things you wish you could tell her if she were here, etc. This is more for you than for her because it will keep hope alive as you write things down. Then when the time is right (which could be a long ways down the road possibly), you’ll have it as a gift to give her that will let her know that she was never far from your heart even when there was distance. It will prove to her the power of your love was solid even when she may have believed otherwise.

As noted from Luke 15, do not lose heart even while your daughter is away and distanced, possibly making choices that grieve you.

Do what God as a good Father does by staying open to her in your heart, looking forward for her return (no matter how long it takes) while believing that she needs your prayers for healing in her own life, whether or not she’s ready to engage with you now.

And in the meantime, I encourage you to do your own work. But this I mean to take steps to vulnerably tell your story and be willing to “look at your own stuff,” followed with receiving input and support from trusted friends or a counselor. This will set the foundation for a healthier relationship with your daughter when she returns because you’ll better understand yourself and have more tools in your emotional toolbox.

These five action steps above will set a foundation of hope as you take proactive steps forward. I pray your Thanksgiving and Christmas season will be a time of renewal, even in the hard spaces, as you celebrate the King who came to earth to give us the promise of heaven beyond today.

26 Ways to Keep Your Daughter Out of Therapy—from A to M [Part 1]

As you read the title of my blog, at first glance it might sound like a strange title coming from a Licensed Professional Counselor with a PhD in Psychology who’s been in private practice for almost 30 years! Are you wondering why I would suggest keeping your daughter OUT of therapy when my livelihood is based on people being IN therapy?!

Now that I have your attention, let me explain.

My goal today is to inform you about your influence as a GirlDad when it comes to investing in your daughter’s mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health, which research states is something you can contribute to…or contaminate.

As you know, in relationships we either make deposits or withdrawals into the “bank accounts” of those in our relational sphere. And your deposits and withdrawals have a HUGE impact on your daughter’s mental and emotional health. So if you want to keep your daughter out of therapy, you’ll need to make MORE DEPOSITS AND LESS WITHDRAWALS.

This isn’t saying you need to be perfect. Quite the contrary. This is about doing REPAIR after there’s been RUPTURE. And I have more good news. Your daughter will be healthier, stronger and more resilient as you consistently and intentionally invest in her with repetitions that confirm she can rely on you. All of this is essentially the definition of secure attachment.

The more your daughter is secure in experiencing you as supportive and loving, the more she will internalize your strength, love, and validation. And that security will build an internal positive base in her to last a lifetime.

This is how she’ll experience LESS depression, anxiety, body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and unhealthy relationships.…and MORE confidence, academic and career success, and resilience, etc.

To make this list of 26 proactive strategies easier to remember, here’s my list from A to Z (which seems fitting since it’s back-to-school time, don’t you think?!). Today I’ll share the first 13, and in two weeks I’ll give you the final 13. This gives you two weeks to put these first 13 into action!

Admit when you’re wrong. This is a great starting point as a GirlDad. “Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and He will exalt you in due time.” (I Peter 5:6) Enough said!

Build her confidence with true praise and affirmation. Every positive word you say and every positive thing you do is an installment in the foundation of your daughter’s identity.

Criticize never. You can correct her and address issues that need input or course correction, but never do it in a condescending or critical way that diminishes who she is. Make sure you never engage in name calling, belittling, shaming or condemning her. Address the behavior, not her identity.

Drop your anger. Your anger will do more to discourage and destroy your daughter than anything else. So make a proactive decision today to never respond in anger. Instead, walk away and then come back once you’ve cooled down. I appreciate what one dad recently told me, “I’ve always tried to control my anger, but it hasn’t worked. I’m now finally getting it and I’m hearing you. I need to make a decision to drop my anger, not just try to control it.”

Expect more of yourself than of your daughter. Be an example, remembering that your actions speaker louder than your words. Sometimes it’s easy to forget what it was like at her age so set your expectations realistically according to her stage of development, personality, birth order, wiring, gifts, and limitations.

Forgive easily and quickly. Model to your daughter what it looks like to be human as you’re willing to forgive after you’ve been hurt or disrespected, without retaliation. This is especially important if there’s been divorce. After naming the injury, choose to let go of the hurt. God forgave you so you can forgive her…and others.

Guidance. If you’re going to give input to your daughter, you have to get close enough to her heart for her to trust what you say. Remember the 5:1 Love Bank principle where you want to make 5 relational deposits to 1 withdrawal, which results in a higher likelihood that your daughter will listen to and follow your input.

Hug her often. Safe and respectful physical touch from a dad to his daughter is internalized in a way that lets her know you value and love her.

Initiate regular dates with her. This is intentional time where you pursue her heart by spending one-on-one time just with her. Tell her what you enjoy about her and ensure that she knows how much you treasure her.

Jesus. When Jesus met people at the point of their need, he led with love, truth, and grace. Hard as that may be to follow His lead, you can rest in knowing He’s walking with you. He said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). So it makes your job easier when you let Jesus give your daughter something through you that you can’t give in your own strength. This is when the supernatural supersedes the natural.

Knowledge. Be curious and interested in knowing about your daughter’s world…her friends, classes, favorite music, food preferences, jobs, dreams, struggles, hopes, faith, family relationships, interests, hobbies, etc. Make a commitment to learn more about her world by paying more attention to the little things, meeting her friends, asking questions, etc.

Listen more. The best way to know your daughter is to ask great questions, followed with intentional listening without interrupting. This is hard work because it means you have to slow down without formulating an immediate response. It’s the whole “two-ears-one-mouth” principle where you listen twice as much as you talk. I guarantee she’ll feel your love and will open up more if you practice honing your listening skills.

Momentum. This is about consistency and rhythms through the up’s and down’s of life. It’s about not letting relational setbacks deter your focus on the goal of contending for health and wholeness in your relationship. This is about looking at the big picture by faith, without being discouraged when one decision or action or interaction seems like it’s moving in the opposite direction.

So there it is…the first 13 ways [of 26] to keep your daughter out of therapy by strengthening your skill set as her dad.

The truth is that I want to see a generation of healthier women rise up who are living out of their core strength rather than from a place of weaknesses, injuries, and wounds. So anything you can do, Dad, to offset your daughter having unnecessary wounds from you while connecting more positively with you, the better for her, the better for our society…and the better for you!

[If you’d like to listen to a recording of where I talk about this in more detail on The Dad Whisperer Podcast, here’s the link: “How to Keep Your Daughter Out of Therapy."

Don't Let Your Daughter Lose Her Muchness

I can’t imagine that many of you dads have seen Tim Burton’s 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland, but then again, maybe you have!

One of the reasons I love this film is because of the way it parallels the developmental process of a young girl who is struggling to figure out her place in her own life story.

I acknowledge that at first glance this may seem like a story that doesn’t have much relevance to the father-daughter relationship. But if you take a second look, I believe there’s a powerful lesson for you, dad, if you’d like another insight for understanding your ever-growing daughter.

The movie begins with our heroine, teenage Alice Kingsleigh, inadvertently tumbling down a rabbit hole (for a second time in her life), only to find herself trapped inside a strange land that has turned her world upside down and backwards. Alice has no memory of having ever been there before, a position that is confirmed by the quirky Mad Hatter who tells her that she couldn’t possibly be “the real Alice” whom he had met years earlier because the last time she had been there she was “much more…muchier.”

Then he deals a harsh blow by indisputably declaring his reason for believing she’s not the girl he’d met years earlier: “You’ve lost your muchness.”

When I first heard that line in the movie there was something about the unusual expression that caught me off guard and has stayed with me for years. Surprisingly, tears welled up in my eyes when I first heard this unique wording as they reverberated inside me.

The reason? Because I too have wondered at times if I’ve “lost my muchness” somewhere along the way. I just hadn’t ever worded it quite like that, which is why it took my breath away for a moment.

I sat there and pondered over what my muchness would look like if I actually even had it. Or worse, I wondered whether I had any muchness at all in the first place.

Now before you conclude that I’ve completely lost my mind with this whole crazy concept, I encourage you to ask: What on earth does Michelle mean by “muchness?”

I’m so glad you asked! And I will answer by defining it in relation to your daughter.

“Muchness” is:

• that part of her that is passionate and scared…all at the same time

• that part of her that sometimes wears you out yet is tied to her individual calling and gifting

• that part of her that makes her uniquely spectacular!

For me, just like with Alice, the word “much” hasn’t always been positive. In fact, the first memory that comes to mind is that of my elementary teachers (yes, more than one!) writing four infamous words repeatedly on my report cards:

“Michelle talks too much.”

(cue visual memories of me standing in the school hallway as punishment for my inability to keep my verbal comments to myself in class!)

Scanning further in my mental file cabinet, the second item in the “too much” folder is that of the comments I heard repeatedly from a guy I dated for a couple of years in my late 20’s. He seemed to thrive on telling me things about me that he thought were “too much.” According to him I used the words “cute” and “awesome” too much, I laughed too much, I weighed too much, and on it went (hard to believe that I dated him for two years, which was clearly way too long).

Here’s why I’m telling you this story.

It’s because I can relate to Alice in that somewhere along my life journey I began to believe that I didn’t have any muchness, which translated to letting others define me rather than using my own voice to stand strong. All of that morphed into an internalized belief that I wasn’t enough: good enough, strong enough, thin enough, this enough, that enough (which is another way of saying that I’d “lost my muchness”).

As a result, I got lost in my own developmental process and was drawn to a guy who reinforced the lies that were already there. He was a guy who seemed to align with the insecure part of me that was looking for someone outside of myself to validate and approve of me (but now I know he could never give me what he didn’t have within himself to give).

Alice though, by the end of the movie, accepts the fact that she has to confront something that terrifies her. Though greatly afraid, she boldly faces her fears as she fights and then slays the dreaded monster, the Jabberwochy. As she bravely steps forward, sword in hand, it’s so fun to hear her boldly declare these words as a heroic battle cry to the creature, “Lost my muchness, have I?”

I LOVE that line!

Alice uncovers her newfound courage by going through the battle to discover who she really is. She had to face a force bigger than herself while using her voice to find herself. We watch as Alice beautifully transforms from an insecure, tentative girl into a fierce warrior woman who powerfully kicks timidity to the curb.

It was up to her and her alone to fight the dragon in order to save the kingdom. 

But the deeper emerging truth is that she faced her own dragon, and in the process saved herself.

Dad, the questions I pose to you are these: 

• Has your daughter found her muchness?

• Have you encouraged her to find her muchness by helping her take steps outside of her comfort zone while you provide support?

• Is there a battle she needs to face that inherently holds the key to her discovering and embracing her muchness?

Dad, you are vital to assisting your daughter on her journey to find and hold on to her muchness. Or if she’s lost it, to help her to find it again.

Finally, here are five ways to do just that: 

• Make sure to tell her that she can do whatever she believes is possible

• Encourage her to push past her fears

• Remind her that she has to face obstacles in order to be fierce

• Assure her that you’ll always be there to cheer her on, even if she doubts she can do it, falls down or fails in the process

• Communicate that you believe in her until she believes in herself

Why do this? Because your daughter’s muchness has the potential to change the world!

It’s Time for Dad-Daughter Brainstorming with 10 Outrageous Dreams

Today’s blog is all about ACTION---for you and your daughter.

Let me share why this activity is worth doing. About 20 years ago I wrote my first list of ten outrageous things I wish I had the nerve to do. I can’t even remember where I heard about creating a list like that, but somehow I decided to put pen to paper and date it.

Guess what one of the items was on the list? To write a book! It honestly seemed like a crazy, unattainable idea at the time. But then in 2014, I did it. And in 2020 I did it again. Even now, I’ve still got more ideas inside me for books I want to write for GirlDads. And I want you to know that the words I wrote on that paper primed the pump.

So I speak from personal experience when I say, “Write it and dream it.”

And to think it all started by being challenged to make a list of ten outrageous things I wish I had the nerve to do.

Now let’s talk about you and your daughter and next steps.

For this activity, ask your daughter to write down ten things she dreams about doing one day, no matter how outrageous they seem.

Encourage her to dream big while realizing that these ten things have the potential to shape her current choices because, based on her self-stated goals, they will have a long-range purpose behind them.

Use this opportunity to reinforce that you will always be her champion no matter what obstacles may come her way. Let her know you’ll check back with her in a week or two and then invite her to read her list to you.

And for extra dad points, create your own list and share them with her on your dad-daughter date, modeling to your daughter that you’re never too old to set new goals and think forward. 

You can also use her list as a prayer guide to ask God to fan into flame her hopes, dreams, passions, and desires.

What outrageous things will your daughter----and you---write? I can hardly wait for you both to join forces to brainstorm about wild goals and dreams.

On your mark, get set…write!

Guys, Are We Afraid of Asking "Hard" Questions? (Guest Blog by Alex Gerber)

A few months ago I sent an email to Dr. Michelle with this question: “I was wondering...have you ever thought about applying your insights on dad-daughter relationships from ‘Let's Talk’ to a book about marriage? I've been finding your stuff in the ‘Let's Talk’ book to be incredibly helpful for my relationship with my daughters, and it also seems applicable to the marriage relationship too.” 

She immediately wrote back and said, “Wow...there’s an idea I haven’t thought of! I do often remind dads that their wife (or ex-wife) is a daughter too so all these things with their daughters also apply to marriage. I haven’t felt led to write a marriage book, but here’s an idea: What if you gave my book to 10 or 15 guys and then created a support group to apply the same principles to better understand and pursue the hearts of your wives.”

That’s all it took for me to reach out to 12 guys and ask if they would be willing to ask their wife this question: On a scale of 1 to 10, how deeply do I connect with you?

There was a common thread in their initial responses: “That’s a hard question!”

Several were actually not sure if they really wanted to know the answer to this question. And some were afraid to even ask.

Perhaps we as men all hoped that if we asked, we would get at least an 8 or 9. But what if we got a 4 or a 5? How would that feel?

Now I have a question for you guys who are reading this: How would you respond if you got a low number response?

Would you be angry, upset, or defensive?
Would you be deeply wounded?
Would you blame her…or yourself…for the low score?

Or, would you be curious and say, “Please tell me more about why you scored me that way?” or “How can I improve my score?”

To be honest, I was afraid to ask.

Afraid of hard questions that might expose a broken connection.
Afraid of how my wife might answer.
But mostly, afraid because I knew our connection was damaged and I just didn't know how to “fix” it.

“Fixing" a low score, at least to me, involved doing something I thought needed to be done to solve the problem. Then even if she shared something good, if I missed the mark on how she needed to feel more connected to me, my “score” still probably wasn't going to improve.

I’ve realized that when I try harder and harder to “fix” it, we both end up feeling farther and farther away, disconnected. Then I end up even more afraid to ask the tough, difficult questions and more frustrated with where we are.

Asking “harder,” deeper, better questions about our relationships and about how we can improve can be intimidating. Yet it’s also very revealing.

But it is one key way to connect deeper to the heart of the woman and daughters we love.

And finding a way into that depth is essential, in my opinion, to building a strong, healthy connection with her.

I was encouraged recently when asking this same question to a larger group of approximately 50 men.

There were several who were curious to learn more about what their spouse (or girlfriend) might say and how they could connect better.

Even if they felt afraid, they asked. And then they shared the responses they heard. It was clear they wanted a better relationship and were interested in feedback on how to get there.

Guys, how can we move past fear?
How can we love well, listen curiously, and connect deeper?
And how will you know if you are connecting well unless you ask?

Are you ready to be an intentional, courageous man and jump into curiosity about how you are connecting with your wife (or girlfriend) and your daughters?

If you're reading this article through, I'm going to say, YES, YOU ARE!

A man who moves past fear and into the risk of deeper conversations will discover huge potential for discovery, intimacy, and growth.

Let's do this, dads!

Be amazed at the wonder you will uncover in asking and hearing the answer to this simple “hard” question.

Once again, here’s the question to ask your wife (or girlfriend): On a scale of 1 to 10, how deeply do I connect with you…and how can I improve my score?

Ask it today, with a curious, humble heart.

Alex Gerber describes himself as "just a regular guy" who lives in Charleston, SC. He works as a home health physical therapist. He has two daughters Savannah (10) and Eloise (7). They enjoy “adventuring”, being outside, fossil hunting, and playing silly games. He enjoys running, surfing, hiking, camping, and being in nature. Also enjoys asking curious questions to learn and prompt deep thought.

Put Your Love In Writing (a last minute Christmas gift that’s guaranteed to be your daughter’s favorite!)

Merry Christmas Dad! I know we’re all pressed for time as we get closer to December 25th, so I’m meeting you where you’re at with a last minute Christmas gift that’s guaranteed to be your daughter’s favorite!

If you want to give your daughter a Christmas gift this year that: 

• Won’t cost any money

• Won’t require driving to the mall (you’re welcome!)

• Will only take 30 to 45 minutes of your time

• Is guaranteed to be one of her all-time favorite gifts…then get your pen ready!

One of the greatest presents you can give your daughter is to affirm her through writing. 

I speak from personal experience by sharing that I’ve saved all the letters and cards my dad has ever made me. And I’ve heard innumerable stories from other daughters who also have saved letters and cards from their dads, which are sacred treasures, especially for those whose dads are no longer here to tell them in person that they are loved.

And in a world where written communication is increasingly digital (texts, emails, tweets), a letter scripted in your own handwriting is sure to stand out as unique.

Dad, put your words of affirmation, acceptances, belief, encouragement, promise, and praise into writing because your daughter will treasure what you say to her for a lifetime. 

The time you spend now putting your thoughts, feelings, prayers, wishes, hopes, and dreams into written form will pay dividends long after you’re gone as she reads and rereads your words.

Whether you’re a dad who has already begun this practice or you are a tentative newbie, I want to share a few ideas to support your pen-to-paper challenge. 

Here are a few dad-to-daughter letter-writing ideas to add to your repertoire:

• What is one of the first things you remember about her from when she was born and you looked at her for the first time?

• What beauty did you see in her then and what beautiful features do you see in her now? (Girls love hearing about their eyes, smile, and the unique features that you see as beautiful)

• Write about a favorite childhood memory you have of her

• What strengths do you believe she has, both in terms of skill and in her person (her character, personality, etc.)?

• Write about a favorite childhood memory you have of her

• Tell her specific reasons you’re proud of her

• Write about what obstacles you have seen her overcome—emphasize such qualities as courage, resilience, strength, commitment, endurance, and power

• Write about dreams you have for her future, whether in the form of your wishes for her or things you pray about for her—do this without preaching or lecturing, only encourage

• Tell her what it means to you to spend time with her

• Communicate why you love being her dad in this season of her life (add current things about her age right now that you’re aware of and highlight them as positive)

• Let her know that you will always be there for her, telling her what it means to you to be her dad

Dad, as you give your daughter the gift of a letter from you this Christmas, I guarantee it will be one of her favorite gifts that will last a lifetime.

Are You Leading Your Daughter to Conquer Her Fears?

All of us have fears. Some are little, some are big…and others are somewhere in between. Fears can knock us over in unexpected ways, they can lead us to implode or explode, they can cause us to lose our confidence, or they can keep us up at night as we replay events from the day or anticipate something that might happen tomorrow.

The reason I’m talking about this today is that at the start of this new school year, your daughter is going to face challenges that are different than she did a year ago. And she needs your support and encouragement to face and conquer her fears…one at a time.

Here’s my story of a BIG fear I’ve faced and overcome: 

During the first two years of my life, I endured….During the first two years of my life, I endured a myriad of medical procedures with extensive testing during long hospital stays. And yet the doctors struggled to figure out what was wrong with me. In the end, they discovered that I had iron deficiency anemia, and then with dietary changes, I slowly began to recover.

Though most of my experiences aren’t part of my conscious memory, I’ve lived out the truth of what experts say about memory being stored in the cells of our bodies. I used to live with extreme fears of doctors, needles, and hospitals. My intense fears were sometimes incapacitating. 

Yet despite these realities, after college I became a dental assistant, which forced me to face my fear of needles. There’s a longer story here, but suffice it to say that now I can enthusiastically and confidently assert that I feel empowered when going through any medical and dental procedure because I have absolutely no fear (and I’ve had a lot of practice in the last decade!). 

Sometimes I honestly can’t believe that I have so much courage in these situations now, and with deep gratitude I celebrate mastery over my former fears, which is truly a miracle!

Dad, I challenge you to commit to these action steps with your daughter as you support her in facing her fears just like I have:

• Never criticize or belittle her for being afraid. 

• Assure her that we all experience fear. 

• Share your story of facing and overcoming some of your fears.

• Invite her to write a list of her fears and help her face one at a time with a specific strategy. [see link to free handout below for a more detailed action plan]

• Encourage her with words that steer her in the direction you want to see her go.

• Let her know that the upside of the struggle is that when she conquers her fears, a strengthening will take place in the core of her being as she rises above. 

• Highlight that she will be stronger and more resilient with greater confidence on the other side. (And it’s always a great idea to use the illustration of the beautiful butterfly who pushes out of the cocoon in order to fly!)

• Remind her that she has the opportunity to GROW THROUGH what she GOES THROUGH.

Dad, you have a profound opportunity to walk alongside your daughter as you encourage her to face her fears and rise above them. Through this process, she’ll discover and embrace being the best version of herself as she kicks fear to the curb and presses in to all that God has created her to be.

And if you want to follow in the footsteps of another famous encourager, speak these wise words to your daughter that Christopher Robin expressed to his fear-ridden companion, Winnie-the-Pooh: “You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

[This excerpt is adapted from my book, “Let’s Talk: Conversation Starters for Dads and Daughters.” For more questions to use with your daughter from my book, click here for the link.

AND...I’m attaching a FREE questionnaire here from the book to ask your daughter as you help her face her fears.]